Little Man
by anime-queen46
Summary: ONE-SHOT Goku has been living with his family and is quickly realizing that his teenage son is needing him less and less; What happens when he finds out that teenage son goes through the phase every other teen does...being embarrassed by their parents?


I thought of this while I was watching some of the older Dragonball Z episodes and got curious enjoy the one shot

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_'He's home he's finally home for good this time' _Chi Chi thought to herself as her strong brave face slowly melted into unshed tears she had been holding onto for years along with the hope of this day finally arriving and her family would be whole again. Her husband pulled her into a hug concerned about why his wife was suddenly bursting into tears but became relieved when she explained that they were tears of joy and she was soon joined by her youngest son Goten as he cried into his big brother's pant leg. The little one looked up curiously when he saw his brother didn't seem to be as enthusiastic as the rest of their family and friends. (other then Vegeta and Piccolo of course)

"Gohan aren't you happy? Daddy is gonna come from for good," the boy jumping around in excitement accompanied by his best friend Trunks who couldn't help but be excited for him as well. The pair looked like a couple of Mexican jumping beans.

"More then you know kid," was the teen's simple answer as he stood there calmly but his eyes told a different story.

As the Earth's hero celebrated with his family he noted that he had yet to be glomped by his 'little man' and looked around him only to find the only children there were Trunks and Goten. Spotting just a ways off standing there was his other son. It was clear that Gohan was probably the most excited out of them all, his eyes told the story of young boy who still longed to fight by his father's side and do anything in his power to make his smile with pride. However to Goku it had become painfully clear as he looked at his son standing there calmly beside his mentor that Gohan had gone and grown up without him and was now pretty much a man.

_'Nothings changed he's still and always will be MY child, and so will he' _the saiyan thought confidently to himself as he picked up his youngest and tossed him in the air like a rag doll embracing the wonderful sounds of his wife's happy sighs as she watched their son laughing with glee while their friends cheered at his return to them.

_NOW...._

Chi Chi looked at the photos of that day happily, to her that seemed to be the last moment she could think of when _all _her boys were in the same room at the same time. " I guess it really can't be helped that we have a son that's practically grown and trying to start his own life," she out loud to no one in particular cleaning her dishes and every so often laughing at the noises coming from her husband and son in the outdoor tub.

"Mom I can't stay for dinner tonight I'll be at the library late," Gohan declared as he dug in the fridge for something to eat as he ran out the door.

"Again? Gohan you've barely spent time with us since your father came home is there something your not telling me?" she asked concerned. Any mother would be concerned when their child spends five days a week at the library eating apples for dinner instead of at home eating home cooked meals with his father he hadn't seen in seven years.

"I'm sorry mom but its not my fault dad came home just before my midterms, which by the way are being looked at by foundations handing out scholarships for full rides," he explained before kissing his mother on the cheek,"him and Goten are bonding right now one on one anyway but I promise after next week you guys will have my undivided attention."

"I love how your making it sound like your doing us a favor," she joked as he ran for the door.

"What can I say my excellence is my presence," he replied smirking.

The ox princess stood there shocked at her son and how mature he seemed just then._ 'When did my son perfect his own smirk, he was handsome enough having his father's smile.'_ Gohan ran outside after looking at his watch and realized he was going to be late which meant Videl was going to pissed meaning he have to pay for dinner.

"Hey little man where's the fire?" the teen heard a voice behind him and turned back to say goodnight to his dad and brother.

"There's more then enough room for you in here to son, stick around and hope in we were about to have a contest to see who could their breath longer," Goku said excitedly.

"Thanks dad but I can take my own baths now; But you two have fun I gotta go see ya," Gohan said as he waved at them before taking off and yelling back," don't wait up."

Goten may have only been a seven year old boy but he wasn't stupid enough not to see that his big brother said made daddy sad which didn't sit well with the little boy," don't worry daddy he's runnin' off to see his smelly girlfriend cause he knows we'd whop him right," the boy said raising his hand expecting a high five back but looked to see the older man's face seemed to fall a little more._ 'When did my little boy start liking girls and studying of all things' _Goku thought to himself as this thought lead to other thoughts of what else he had missed in the seven years he hadn't been in the boy's life and he didn't realize he was passing off his bad mood to his youngest son. The two walked into the house for dinner both looking very monotone and unenthusiastic which definitely did not go unnoticed by the woman of the house who didn't even have to ask why her boys looked sad, it made her a little sad to that one of the three musketeers was missing.

"C'mon boys if you keep those faces that way they'll get stuck," she said trying to lighten he mood.

"Nice try Chi but they only happens when you make funny faces at other people cause its rude," Goku replied in a dull tone as he ate his dinner. The woman just shook her head at how much of a child her husband could be at times and tried not to laugh before her son got her attention.

"Mommy why isn't big brother here he's been gone all the time since daddy came home and we miss him," the little boy said in the most saddest but most adorable tone of voice accompanied by the watery puppy dog eyes. Chi Chi picked her son up out of his chair and held him close as she moved closer to her husband," guys I'm sorry you miss Gohan but he needs us to give him lots and lots of support right now because he has to study very hard to impress some people who might help him go to college."

"Why does he need to impress them for they should just love him like we do cause he's big brother?" the child asked miserably.

"Sorry champ it doesn't work that way, he has to impress them to show he'll work hard and deserves to go to school like the other kids that can afford to go," she tried to explain and seeing how she was getting nowhere with either she added," he's working hard so we don't have to worry about money to take care of us and him." Chi Chi regretted her words when she saw her husband flinch but there really was no other way to say it but at least Goten understood a little better why his big brother worked so hard to go to school. Goku meanwhile could help but feel ashamed of himself.

_'Some hero I am I can't even help support my family' _he thought to himself sadly. "Goten I think its time for bed say good night to daddy." his wife said distracting him from his thoughts and he tried to keep his grin on for his son but once they were both out of the room the warrior simply feeling like a failure before passing out on his couch.

***

"Gohan thanks for buying dinner," Videl said as they walked down the street holding hands.

"Did I really have choice?" the teen said kidding around pretending to be a defeated man.

"Well you were late?"

"Ya well who let you copy their study notes cause you left them at school?"

"..."

"That's what I thought," he said right before he received a smack across the chest making him laugh.

"Jerk"

"Oh i know this one its the female word for I WIN" he declared making Videl laugh even harder as he walked her to her front door.

"So how are things with your dad being home and all you don't really talk about it?" she asked curiously.

"Honestly.." he said more to himself as a small smile crept on his face," its like he never left nothings really changed except maybe...well me,"he said.

"Well Son Gohan you can't be 10 years old forever," she said kissing lightly on the lips._ 'I'm pretty sure he wishes I could be' _he thought to himself as he remembered how shocked his father's face looked when he saw him for the first time at the tournament. It wasn't until the young fighter got home that he finally admitted to himself that he was exhausted and walked through the dark house until he tripped over something.

"Oh found the couch" he said out loud before passing out not realizing what he had landed on.

Goku woke up with a start when something heavy unexpectedly landed on his chest; he looked down to see his son passed on him completely oblivious to who he was sleeping on. The man could hold in his laughter when he heard his son mutter_ 'pancakes for sale'_ in his sleep when he tried to move him. ( for those who love Grandma's Boy as I do)_ 'This will be interesting he's just about taller then me now' _Goku thought as he tried to think of a way to carry him up the stairs to his room before finally deciding on just throwing him over his shoulder and away he went.

"Dad? What's going on?" Gohan mumbled when they got to the door of his room.

"You were kinda crushing me son come on let's get you into bed," he said letting his son off his back and led him by the shoulders into the room.

"Oh my god is that a bed I love those," the teen said diving onto his bed that he hadn't seen in weeks cause he could never seem to make it past the couch._ 'Its like being reunited with an old friend' _he thought before turning back to his dad who was giving him a weird look before walking over and taking off his shoes and socks and pulled the blankets over him. The feeling of guilt came back when he saw his son so exhausted.

"I'm sorry son I should've done more for you, your mother and brother," he whispered before kissing his son's head and went to go leave when something grabbed his arm and saw it was Gohan who was still apparently awake.

"Your not a bad father, we don't think so anyway," the teen mumbled into his pillow," apparently mom still likes you cause she still voluntarily cooks for you 3 times a day....so stop feeling bad," he added hoping to get a rise out of his dad. The saiyan stood in shock, after all these years and after all the hell he had put his own son through he still didn't hate him. Goku couldn't think of anything to say to his son to tell him how precious those words were to him so he simply squeezed his son's hand in appreciation and left his son to sleep. He had almost closed the door when he heard:

"Hey Dad,"

"Yes son"

"Thannnn.....zzzzzzz"

Goku just turned and gave his son another weird look and assumed he was trying to say thanks for getting him to his bed.

"Goodnight little man." Next Morning Gohan was already gone for school before even his mother woke making the woman worry her brain away about whether he ate or not as she made the rest of her family there morning meal.

"Hey son what say you to surprising your brother by taking him out for lunch just us boys and give mom a break from cooking?" Goku asked happier then he was the day before to Chi Chi's relief and not only cause she didn't have to cook that afternoon. The little boy gave an enthusiastic nod before the both souted YAY excitedly making poor Chi Chi think she was seeing double.

***

"One down, a bagillion more to go," Gohan heard his friend Sharpner say as the large boy stretched out his spine.

"Uh buddy that's not a word," the smaller boy replied bluntly.

Videl and her friends walked behind the pair all agreeing that the pair of friends looked absolutely hilarious walking down the hall together. The jock and the nerd weren't exactly the most common sight as a couple of pals in fact it would look more appropriate if Sharpner was sticking Gohan head first into a trash can.

"Thanks again for the tutoring man I'd probably still be in the 8th grade if you weren't around," the boy said as he shook his friends hand and turned to Videl and her friends.

"LADIES WHOSE HUNGRY," was all he had to say before everyone but Videl was hanging off the butch teen.

"See ya Love Birds," he added as he headed for the caf as the pair waved and shook their heads at their friend.

"So I have a surprise for you mister," Videl said seductively into Gohan's ear after they were alone making the boy blush.

"Uhh Videl what are you doing?" he asked as his girlfriend tied something around his eyes and led him by the hand to the roof of the school.

"Just trust me," was all she said to have his complete obedience and trust this amazed and touched the young girl that he loved her so much that it was easy for him to lead him somewhere unknown blindfolded when he trust most with his precious study notes. When the got to the top of the building Videl left him standing by himself with the blindfold still on and laid out her surprise; when she took off the blindfold Gohan saw before him a feast that could feed a small army laying out over a picnic blanket.

"Did you make all this?" he asked in awe.

"Ya I made it last night and some of it this morning to keep it fresh," she replied nervously as He stood there not saying anything before looking back at the girl beside him.

"Marry me" was all he said bluntly with a serious expression on his face.

***

It was just about time for them to go back to class and Gohan was still smirking happily with Videl beside still blushing from his comment from before. Anybody seeing them walk down the hall would think at first glance that the young couple had gone all the way. However this happily feeling in Gohan's stomach suddenly turned gut wrenching when he heard a very familiar voice behind.

"GOOOHAN" "BIG BROTHER"

'_Oh kami they didn't' _he thought dropping his head.

"SON ITS ME ITS DADDY COME ON LITTLE MAN WE'RE GOING OUT TO EAT" the voice yelled at him again.

Videl looked over to her boyfriend to see his hand covering the mouth of his beat red face," really? Did he just do that I really hope he didn't just do that," the boy said out loud before taking deep breaths and then doing something he never thought he would. Goku waved excitedly when he saw he finally had his son's full attention along with his son but he stopped abruptly when he saw the look on his son's face as one of his classmates walked up to him.

"Dude do you know them?" the classmate asked a little embarrassed for Gohan.

"I've never seen them before in my life, let's go to class Videl," the boy said irritated as he grabbed the shocked girl's hand and practically dragged her back to their homeroom. It wasn't until he took one last glance at his family and saw the hurt and confused expression on his face and his brother still happily waving away that he realized what he had done. The warrior was shocked and hurt all at the same time, the saiyan could handle a lot of things both verbal and physical abuse but nothing hurt more then when he saw his own son look embarrassed to be in the same room with him.

"Looks like we came to late for lunch," the little boy said obliviously before turning to his dad.

"Oh well his loss come on daddy let's go out for lunch," the happiness radiating off the child was slightly contagious and Goku was quickly back to his old self at least for his little boy's sake and spent the afternoon eating and playing with Goten until they got home. Chi Chi sat curled up on the couch with her book enjoying the silence until a pair of small hands covered her eyes and yelled 'GUESS WHO' making the woman until she saw her husband.

"Hunny can you go outside to play for a while and work off some of that sugar I know you father let you have?" the woman joked and gave her husband a look when her son replied,"how did you know?" After the very hyper child was out of sight the woman gave her undivided attention to her husband," hunny what happened didn't you have fun with the boys today?" she asked concerned.

"Gohan never cam out with us," he said sadly," I went to surprise him at school and I called him and he told his friend that he didn't know who we were, my son is embarrassed of me," he explained becoming more depressed as he continued his tale. the ox princess looked at him as if he grew an extra head.

"This doesn't sound like our son," she said shocked.

"Can you really blame him, it can't be easy being smarter then your dad," he said upset and just lied his head on his wife's shoulder as she stood in front of him and wrapped her arms around him.

***

"Kid you've been sitting here for half an hour will you talk already," Piccolo demanded as his student sat on the ground with his arms wrapped around his legs and his head lying on his knees.

"I am a terrible terrible person and I can't go home," was all he said it was all he would say and finally had took the Namek's last nerve so the green man kneeled down to his level and grabbed hold on some of the human's hair and pulling his head up so they were eye to eye.

"Talk" he demanded a little more sympathetic when he saw the tears in the kids eyes.

"Dad came to the school to take me and Goten out for lunch but he was embarrassing me so much with the 'Gohan look its daddy' 'hey little man' that I panicked a litte and told somebody I didn't know them," he explained," Goten didn't really notice but dad...dad looked really hurt I don't think I can face him. I'm a freakin' jerk."

"Your not a jerk kid your a teenager," Piccolo said after a while making the kid look at him funny,"kid no man wants their father coming up to them in front of their mate and comrades and saying '_heeeere's DADDY' _its not a big deal its just Goku having to deal with you growing up."

meanwhile...

After Chi Chi explained why their son would do such a thing after he explained in better detail about when he called after their son by his nickname in front of his friends it kinda clued into her that she really couldn't blame her son, she sent him after Gohan to go talk things out before dinner. Which brought Goku back to where he was now, watching his former enemy putting his hand on Gohan's shoulder comfortingly making the young man smile. The saiyan clenched his fists as he watched Piccolo make his son smile and laugh like he did when he was still a little boy.

_'I bet Gohan would never be embarrassed if Piccolo came to his school to come get him' _the man thought bitterly not realizing that he had been spotted when the pair heard the man growling in the bushes.

"Goku quit hiding and get out here," the Namek said irritated at the behavior of this guy sometimes.

"Hey dad," the teen said quietly not looking his father in the eye as he stood up.

"Oh you recognize me now that's convenient," Goku said sarcastically still bitter with the boy who only flinched in response.

"Son that's enough!" Piccolo yelled as he stood in front of the boy protectively.

"He made a mistake he's half human so he still has that right last I checked," he hissed at the man who was glaring back at him just as harshly.

"Its ok I deserve-"

"The hell you do teenagers get embarrassed by their parents every day hell look at Bulma I'd shoot myself if those were my parents," he argued to the young man standing behind him and the one in front of him.

"Piccolo any other day I'd thank you a million times over but the _man_ behind you can face me on his own," Goku said but it seemed to have no effect on the alien in front of him because he didn't move.

"HE IS MY SON WHY DO YOU TREAT HIM LIKE YOUR OWN CHILD" Goku yelled at the Namek finally loosing his temper.

"BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO RAISE HIM," Piccolo yelled back angrily finally making Goku snap and attacked him before he knew what was happening.

The teenager stood in shock not knowing what to do, his father and his mentor were fighting all because he did something stupid. _'Dammit I started this so I'M gonna be the one to end this' _Gohan thought as took off after the two.

***

"I've been waiting to kick your ass for a looong time," Piccolo said as he continued to block Goku's attacks.

"SHUT UP," was all the saiyan said getting in one good punch in the Namek's face sending them both into a blind rage. Neither fighter noticed the power coming towards them until both warriors hit something and realized it wasn't their opponent. Both stood there in shock as Gohan stood between them with his father's fist in his chest and his mentor's fist in his back. _'If there was a day I was glad to be wearing the sayaman armor today is a day to be grateful' _he thought to himself getting over the shock of the pain.

"Ugh, they were nice ribs while they lasted," he said quietly breaking the silence before turning to his father in front of him," I'm sorry about what happened at school. I told you were weren't a bad father and that was true I not ashamed of you....I was just embarrassed and I didn't handle it well. I'm sorry I made you hate me but don't take it out on people I care about, nobody asked Piccolo to take care of me when you weren't around he did it cause he wanted to he's my best friend. It would probably be just as awkward if Piccolo came to my school."

_'This world is just not ready for green men' _Piccolo thought with a sigh and turned to look over at his opponent. Goku looked at Gohan in shock at his son's words _'What's wrong with me? I hurt him and on top of it he thinks I hate him' _he thought as he started shaking. Seeing his son in pain that he caused brought back thoughts of when he thought the boy was dead and how it nearly destroyed him.

"No, angry yes, hurt definitely but hate....not you never you," the proud saiyan admitted all the hurt melting away as he saw his son smile. It was silent for a few more minutes before Gohan once again broke the silence.

"Uhh guys can one of you catch me after you finally decide to take your fists out of my back and chest. I'm not feeling so hot," he said to the two fighters who just clued in that this whole time they had their clenched fists still where they hit him. They automatically pulled back their arms and Goku quickly caught his son who smiled in appreciation.

"Piccolo your Gohan's best friend I'm sorry," the saiyan reluctantly apologized.

"I'm not," was all the Namek said before taking off leaving the two saiyans behind. They sat there at first not saying anything except for the odd grunt from the younger boy as he rubbed his bruised ribs before Goku finally turned to him.

"Son are we on good terms?" he asked reluctantly.

"Ugh I hope so my armors already cracked and can't take another hit from your hurt pride,"the teen joked as he pulled what was left of the sayaman armor out from under his shirt making his father laugh a little," but seriously I'm sorry about today, I dunno where that came from but I didn't like it.

"I probably didn't help much did I? Blowing up like Vegeta," Goku said then both shuddered at the thought of two Vegetas." I"ll try and give you a little more space son but I need to be patient with me the idea of you not needing me anymore kinda scares me."

"Are you serious? The got the entire planet that counts on you everytime some freak attacks the planet and your afraid of Goten and me growing up and not needing you anymore," Gohan said a little dumbfounded by the idea but when he saw the look on his dad's face he saw that he wasn't kidding.

"I do still need you."

Goku looked shocked at his son before Gohan explained," there are things that still scare the crap out of me; what am i gonna do when I start living on my own, and I'm still learning how to be a man god knows I need more then a little help with that and well.....theres Videl, the way she makes me feel alone scares me cause every time she's not around it hurts." The saiyan listened happily as hs son carried on until something he said struck a nerve.

"I need you there to teach me how to be a good father..." before the teen knew what was happening he was wrapped in a hug tightly as he felt his father's tears wet his shirt.

Up above the namek watched on as the two stayed that way for quite some time before they both left to put the rest of the faily worries at ease. Piccolo couldn't help but feel bitter towards the Earth's warrior because even though he had done most of the raising of the young man he was still just the best friend but somehow he couldn't help feeling things were as they should be.

* * *

YAY I finally finished this it was stuck in my head for weeks I hope all enjoy even though its kinda corny.


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